A/N: I got bored, so I decided to update yet again:) woot woot!

Special thanks to xxlostdreamerxz, Porcelain Prayer, Gaerwen, Contemporary Manner, and ix.dovienya.xi for reviewing!

Also, if you guys have any suggestions please let me know! As I said before, I am completely winging this, so I dunno what will happen!

Disclaimer: Sad but true, I own nothing but my mind, and I think I lost that a while ago...

The Boy in the Corner

We enjoy warmth because we have been cold.
We appreciate light because we have been in darkness.
By the same token, we can experience joy because we have known sadness.
David Weatherford

The Hogwarts castle was oozing of chatter and excitement. The beginning of another year as the students greeted each other with happiness and felicity. The clatter of forks and the scraping of plates rang throughout the Great Hall. The first years had just been sorted and were now socializing with others, building friendships that would last a lifetime. The summer was still apparent in tanned faces and burnt shoulders, but among everything else, the school year was beginning fantastically with celebration.

There was one person, however, who was not enjoying the festivities.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was sitting alone in the library, curled up in the familiar dark corner.

His long fingers were clutching an ancient looking book. It had dark stains upon it. Tom entertained himself in wondering if they were blood. Common sense said that it was probably red wine, but Tom's imagination seemed humorous to himself. The book was obviously from the Restricted Section, but that had never stopped Tom in reading them. His undeniable talent for charming teachers into letting him bend the rules were infamous. He'd simply asked Dippet if he could check out the book to perhaps study the repercussions of Grindewauld's rise. Thus, the Dark Magic books were quite easy to get a hold of.

He wasn't a hideous boy. Actually, he was attractive in an unexpected way. His skin was moonlight pale, even though the summer had been the sunniest and hottest in years. He was tall, and looked very peaked. He seemed as if he really should be at the feast, trying to fill himself and return some color back to his face. Food didn't make much of a difference to him at this time. His dark hair had grown a bit, and he hadn't bothered styling it today. It was slightly wavy and messy today for he didn't feel like dressing up for anyone today. He would probably be rather handsome in his facial features if he just smiled once in a while. Alas, his aristocratic face was wasted on someone who had always a emotionless expression plastered on it. His eyes were a dark green, framed with long fluttery eyelashes. His face was deceiving, one would not think of a killer when they looked at him.

Yet here he was. This potentially handsome young man, reading a book of dark magic with a look of utter concentration on his face. He could smell the unfamiliar scent of delicious food in the Hall, but though his mouth watered, he kept reading determinedly. Grinning slightly, he quickly tucked the book into his bag, eyes darting suspiciously to make sure that wretched librarian was anywhere in sight. Suddenly, he heard a nervous voice peak around the corner of the library.

"Uh... Tom Riddle? Are you in here?"

A meek third year Ravenclaw was standing in front of him, staring at her feet. Her hair was in two plaits, making her look much younger then she probably was. She looked positively terrified speaking to him. Tom smirked to himself at the thought of his fame at this school that saved him from the summers. Still it shocked even him that the younger kids were a bit star struck to talk to him. Obviously it was because of his impeccable record, intelligence, and the highest marks since Dumbledore attended school. Though many knew his name, few would pick him out of the crowded halls of Hogwarts, which annoyed Tom to the largest degree.

Normally he would have answered irritably, and bypassed the girl without a second thought. But today was a great day. He was finally back home from that awful orphanage, and he had just found the piece that he was looking for. Why not make the girl's day? She seemed harmless.

He stood, showing the girl how tall he really was. She didn't dare look up at him, but stared straightforward at his chest, where a newly polished head boy badge glimmered in the candlelight. He had been far from perturbed from getting the badge, since he had been expecting it since second year. It was just another thing to add to his growing ego.

"Yeah?" Tom said, pulling his bag on his shoulder.

The girl's eyes widened. She spoke quickly and breathlessly.

"Wow, it's really nice to meet you. I'm Cara, I've heard so much about you."

"Um... alright," Tom replied awkwardly. Now he was paying for looking interested in what this pathetic girl had to say.

"I mean, is it true that you aced all your OWLs?"

"Yeah, I guess," Tom was getting a little irritated. "I'm sorry, what did you need from me?"

"Oh..." the girl looked slightly put out. "Um, they were looking for you in the Great Hall."

"What!" Tom said, shocked. People didn't usually miss him. The few friends he actually had would know that he didn't want to go to the feast. Who would actually notice that he was really gone?

"Who was looking for me?"

"Um... Professor Dumbledore." she answered, intimidated.

Tom rolled his eyes. Damn Dumbledore. Couldn't the old man just mind his own business? The man seemed to think he was entitled to helping Tom out in every little situation, like he was a troubled teen. Scowling at the false hope that someone may have actually been worried about him.

"I'm going up to my dormitory," he replied scathingly, pushing past the small girl in front of him.

He had better things to do that listen to some little third year. That's what he got for trying to be friendly for once. A happy reminder that he had no one. Not that he wasn't used to it, it just ached every once in a while. He stampeded down the hall, not wishing to run into anyone. Little did he know that someone he really didn't want to see was turning the corner.

He saw her, and felt his heart fall straight down to his navel. Spinning around abruptly, he began walking as fast as his dignity would let him. Please don't let her see me. I really don't feel like having us torment each other the first day of school. However, that unhappily familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Riddle! What do you think your doing!"

Shit, he thought wildly. Oh well... Game time.

Voldemort watched Tom almost crashinto her. Remembering slightly how odd it felt to have an actual conversation, he kept willing Tom to keep walking away. Keep walking away. Don't look back!

Shit, Voldemort thought angrily, Why did I have to turn around?

A/N: What did you think? Read and Review!

Next chapter we are gonna learn who this person is, and how it plays out. I just wanted this chapter to get a little insight on how Tom Riddle's mind works :)

P.S. Any advice on what might happen? Let me know... ;)